Love Will Find a Way
by Freelancer404
Summary: A year later, during summer break, Gregor returns to the Underland for a visit, but he gets much more than he bargained for: hope.
1. Chapter 1

Gregor pressed his forehead against the screen for so long, he could feel a pattern of tiny checks above his eyebrows.

How long had it been since he had last been standing here like this, waiting for summer to end, not knowing what would happen next, and how it would change him forever? "An eternity, most like," he muttered.

Gregor sighed in frustration. Was there anything to do? The summer had returned, and with it another year of boredom in his untidy little apartment.

What to do, what to do. Gregor sighed again. His father was gone with his mother in Virginia to prepare everything for their arrival. His parents had left him in the care of the old woman next door, Mrs. Cormaci. But she was gone as well, out to the dry cleaner's. Lizzie, one of his sisters, was sleeping in her room, and Boots was entertaining herself with a spatula. Gergor's grandmother was…gone.

Thoughts kept running through his mind. Her last words, and everything that had happened since then. What came after death? Gregor wondered. He had come so close to finding out many times, but never had.

But those times were long past. And now, the grate that led to the land of his dreams, the land that held everything—and everyone—he loved was sealed, held over by paint and an inch of reinforced steel.

The Underland. What was happening now? Had it worked out? Had all the species successfully dropped war and raised their hands for peace? And most of all, where was Luxa?

Luxa. The beautiful queen of the Underland, stern and arrogant, yet at times kind and gentle. How far had she come? Gregor felt around in his back pocket, panicking for a second. The picture. Where was it? Then he found it, in his other back pocket. He took it out and gingerly set it on the counter next to him.

There they were, together. Everything forgotten. All the pain, the suffering, the death. Everything was perfect, right in that instant. And he wanted it to stay that way forever.

But fate wouldn't have it. Fate would rather have them torn apart, because love is the strongest bond, and the easiest to break.

No. That wasn't true. Love was not easy to break. Even in death, love may even become stronger than before. But the ache always remains, and happy times remain in the heart.

Suddenly, Gregor's right fist tightened. He had to know! He needed to see her again, to see everyone, to know that they were alright, to let them know that he was alright. Just once. It wouldn't hurt.

Gregor slipped his shoes on and grabbed a coat in case it rained. "Lizzie! Boots!" he called. "We're going for a walk, and you're coming with me whether you like it or not!"

He scribbled a note for Mrs. Cormaci to read when she came back.

Mrs. Cormaci,

Went to Underland. I couldn't stand not knowing. I hope you understand. Please don't tell mom and dad. Thanks for everything you've done. Boots says hi.

--Gregor

She wouldn't be happy with him, but he felt sure she'd know why he'd done it.

With that, he slipped out the front door, his siblings in tow, hopped in a cab, and began the journey to Central Park.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The drive to Central Park didn't take long. Gregor paid the fare and got out with Boots and Lizzy.

"See Luza?" asked Boots.

"Yeah, we're going to see Luxa. And everyone else."

"Temp?"

"Yes, Temp too."

Boots had finally gotten around to saying Gregor's name correctly, but now had to work on her 'X's. "Hey Boots, what's X for?"

Boots frowned. "X for…X?"

Gregor smiled. "Good job," he said.

As the trio approached the rock that led to the Underland, Gregor took a deep breath. He was _so_going to be grounded for this.

It took all three of them to move the rock, and the fact that they were continuously interrupted and had to stop didn't help their matter of time. Gregor was starting to worry that Mrs. Cormaci might already be home, and that she'd come and find him here, and that he wouldn't even be able to visit.

But nothing happened, so when the rock was finally moved and they dropped into the Underland, they were met with pleasant silence.

Gregor and company walked through the tunnels until they found what they were looking for: two bats. Sitting there, chatting. Gregor didn't recognize them. "Hey, you gonna sit there chatting or greet your guests?" he asked.

The bats jumped and turned around, ready to attack. Gregor put his hands up in the universal _woah, Nelly_ expression.

The bats relaxed. "Overlander!" one shouted. "You have returned!"

Gregor nodded. "My sisters have as well. Do you know where I could find Luxa?"

The two bats glanced at each other ever so slightly. But Gregor caught it, and knew what it meant.

"Where is she?" he asked.

His return to Regalia was not as he had expected. No one came out to greet him, and shake his hand, which was just fine with him. But what puzzled him was the lack of people on the streets. "What happened here?" he asked Bron, the first bat that had welcomed him. But he was met with dead silence.

The streets were still pretty torn up with remnants of the war, and it looked like the scars might never fade.

As they approached High Hall, Gregor saw Vikus (he had a cane), standing there with the woman who had replaced Solovet. Her name was...Jezebel? They looked at him and as he landed, did not say a word. Instead, Jezebel gestured for Gregor to follow as Dulcet took Boots and Lizzie went to find Ripred.

He followed Jezebel and Vikus until he thought that they might never stop. They went through halls and halls, passing many a door and guard. The entire palace had a dark feel to it. Only some torches were lit. They walked and walked, until Gregor realized that they were walking in circles. "What are we—" he began, but he was interrupted by two men slamming him against a wall and pinning him there so that he could barely breathe.

Jezebel came back. "About time. Where were you two, I wonder?"

"We were held back," they said at the same time.

"Well, don't be ever again," Jezebel replied brusquely. "I suppose you know the Overlander?"

Gregor recognized them, alright. They were Horatio and Marcus, the two burly guards who had…attempted to guard him many a time and had failed just as many. "What do you want?" Gregor managed to get out with the little air that was getting into his lungs. All he had wanted to do was drop in for a visit, say hi, and leave.

Jezebel scoffed. "As if you don't know, Overlander."

Gregor was having some really hard trouble breathing, until Jezebel told Horatio and Marcus to let him go. "What?" Gregor replied.

Vikus stared at him, sorrow in his eyes. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Jezebel grimaced. "Fine. Play that way. Lock him in the—"

Jezebel was interrupted by the sounds of running footsteps, and a soldier came up to her side. "Ma'am, the Queen has returned," he said.

Jezebel's eyes widened, and she began trotting after the guard, who was well down the hall. Gregor began sprinting. He felt a pair or two of hands come reaching for him, but he shrugged them off. By the time he reached the entrance to the palace, the guard was already there, and there she was, Queen Luxa, in all her glory, landing on Aurora with Ripred behind her.

"How fared the trip, your Highness?" asked the guard.

"It went well. The spinners have agreed to elect a new representative, and the gnawers have as well. In light of the recent events, I…"

She turned her head and saw Gregor. Her eyes widened for a second, then registered anger.

Then she motioned to Ripred to hop back on and flew off with Aurora.

Gregor thought she said something as she took off.

He thought he heard her say "Traitor."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Oh, how kind all of you are!" screamed Gregor into nothingness. The world lit up for a second, and then repeatedly faded and came back as the echolocation kicked in. But it didn't matter. He'd been in here before. "So kind! You let me see the Queen! Who apparently hates me! That's just wonderful! And _then_ you send me to the dungeon! Amazing service!"

Gregor knew this screaming was getting him nowhere, so he shut up. But he'd been in here for a long time, possibly a day or more. And he was getting tired of it. He hadn't slept a wink. Luxa kept invading his thoughts and dreams, and without Ares there he had begun having the falling dreams again.

The door to the cell cracked open and the light seeped in ever so slightly. Gregor looked at it, trying to get his eyes adjusted to it.

And then, the door swung open so abruptly that the light seared Gregor's eyes. "Ah!" he cried out, stumbling backwards. He proceeded to run into a wall.

A shape entered the room. But Gregor didn't know who it was. The light hurt too much. It was as if the sun had dropped in and said hello right in front of him.

"Gregor. Gregor, it's me," said a voice.

Gregor stopped screaming. He slowly and delicately opened his eyes. The figure was blurred, but it slowly came into focus. "L…Luxa?"

The figure nodded and closed the door. "I have limited time. Listen carefully."

Gregor nodded.

"When I called you a traitor back there, I was forced to. What with Jezebel there and all. If I didn't follow her direction and opinion, then I would be here right next to you," Luxa said.

"Which would be just fine with me," thought Gregor.

"Jezebel thinks that you organized the second rat resistance that happened while you were gone," stated Luxa quietly.

"What? That's ridiculous! Why would I have—" Gregor began, but he was interrupted by Luxa.

"Sh. Listen. If we are overheard, we will both be killed. Your response is precisely the reaction Jezebel needs. If the representatives from each species find you to be in denial, then that's great for them. It proves that you respect your reputation over Regalia. Rather, you need to be concerned about the second rat rebellion."

"There was another one?"

Luxa nodded. "Led by a different rat—Twirltongue's daughter, Blandine. Different rat. Better skills. She rallied the rats behind her with such force and quickness that we were almost taken over. Unfortunately, they attempted a rather amateur code and we quickly broke it, and they fell apart."

So that's why no one was out. Because a war had just ended. "And what happened to the remainder of the forces?"

"They all disappeared into the Dead Lands. The results were much as from the first war. But worse, and they spread the gnawers even thinner. The current situation that your sister helped set up has been reestablished, however."

Gregor smiled. Lizzie would be happy to know that she had helped set up an age of peace in the Underland—if you minus the war, of course.

There were footsteps down coming down the hall. Luxa looked back nervously. "I love you," she whispered, giving him a short kiss on the lips. "Fly you high."

Suddenly, the person who had been coming arrived in the doorway just in time for them to see Luxa slap Gregor across the cheek. It was genuine, and the pain was genuine. "Traitor!" she said through gritted teeth, and skulked out of the room.

The guard smirked, threw some food and drink on the table, and left.

Gregor fell. He kept falling. He didn't know when he would stop, until suddenly he looked down and saw the rocks, the jagged edges, and then he was on top of them, the point of the sharpest and most horrible one just piercing through his shirt…

"Gregor!" a voice whispered at him through the darkness. "Gregor, quick, we have not much time!"

Gregor sat up immediately and followed Luxa out the door of his cell. "What are we doing?" he whispered.

"Do not speak," Luxa commanded. Gregor shut up.

She led him through many hallways, and finally she led him to the Prophecy Room. The key was inserted into the wooden door.

Once inside, Luxa locked the door and leaned against it, out of breath.

"You have a key to the Prophecy Room? Since when?"

Luxa smiled. "Since I stole it from Nerissa."

Gregor laughed a bit. "Wait—Nerissa—"

Luxa turned sober. "She's gone, Gregor. She died in the attack."

Gregor stopped smiling. His head turned to the floor. Sure, Nerissa may have been popularly branded as overly thin, mad, and probably just weird, but she had helped Gregor many times, and he knew it wouldn't be the same without her near.

Luxa's hand was on his shoulder, and Gregor looked at her. They both looked to the corner of the room, where a single prophecy was etched into the wall. A few flowers were laid out to dedicate the area to Nerissa.

The Peacemaker had always been a favorite of Nerissa's. And now, as Gregor walked over to it and read it again, he finally knew why.

_On soft feet, by none detected,_  
_Dealing death, by most rejected,_  
_Killed by claw, since resurrected,_  
_Marked by X, two lines connected._  
_Finally, they intersected,_  
_Two lines met, one unexpected._

Gregor smiled. He thought he had understood when Ripred had bonded with Luxa, but he had only a piece of the puzzle. He finally understood why this single prophecy gave her so much comfort.

It was because she was rejected by the common society. And the Peacemaker would be as well. Whoever it was would finally be the last string to be attached. Whoever it was, they would bring peace. And tranquility. And they would treat everyone equal. Even an outcast like Nerissa.

Suddenly, Gregor was reminded of Twitchtip. And Ares. And Ripred.

All of them, rejected by society and yet they stayed the course and ended up all playing their parts in the most important time in Underland history.

A tear dripped down his cheek and onto the floor. Which brought his attention to a different prophecy, on the opposite wall in the corner next to The Peacemaker.

Luxa rushed over to him. "That is not for your eyes. This is what I want you to see," she said.

He was staring at a prophecy engraved horizontally, and just about his height. He read.

_After the second uprising,_

_There will be a beast._

_He will be like nothing ever seen,_

_On the Underland's blood he feasts._

_But yet the Warrior, he returns_

_And is met with adversity_

_But sets off on the quest_

_To find the one he pitied._

_A land where dead come back to life,_

_A land where dead bonds roam free,_

_A land where all are rid of strife,_

_Travel the warrior and the other three._

"So, another warrior prophecy?" Gregor asked. "This seems pretty straight forward to me."

Luxa nodded. "We must go on a quest to some place where dead people roam."

"Like…zombies?" Gregor shivered.

"No, Gregor." Luxa was surprisingly serious. "The Land of the Dead."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Gregor sat there for a second, thinking this over. "The Dead Lands?" he asked.

"No, the Land of the Dead."

"Wait…I'm confused."

Luxa sighed. "It's like this. There's a place deep in the Uncharted Lands no one has ever been to. It's believed to be the housing of the dead, where all souls go. It's like paradise. For some, at least."

Gregor understood. "Like in Pirates of the Caribbean."

Luxa looked puzzled. "Py…rates?"

"Forget it," said Gregor. "So this means…that…everyone who we knew that died…is still alive somewhere?"

Luxa nodded. "If it exists, that is. It's just a tale, and many have died in search for it."

"Well that's a heartwarmer," thought Gregor. But the hope that he might actually see so many people again warmed his heart and took over the void. He may see Ares! And Twitchtip, and even maybe Hamnet! "Is it possible to bring them back?"

Luxa shook her head and sank to the floor, leaning her head against the wall. "No one knows. It is said that the being they are trying to bring back must do it on his own accord."

Gregor felt a burst of hope. "Well then, that'll be easy! Who wants to be dead all the time!"

Luxa looked at him solemnly. "Gregor, some will be in paradise. They will not want to leave. They may not even remember or recognize you."

Gregor's hope dropped.

But Luxa was not finished. "And remember, the people we want back are just a fraction who died. It will be filled with rats, and even the Bane. It will not be an easy crossing."

"But it's paradise."

"Do you remember Heaven?"

Gregor nodded. "Well, I don't _remember _it technically, but I know what it is."

Luxa looked at him gravely. "And what's the alternative?"

It was dawning on Gregor now. "So which one do we pass through first?" he whispered.

"Luckily, it is believed to be paradise, which will be lucky for us. We may get supplies and maybe even our friends, depending on how they judged themselves."

"What?" asked Gregor. "They can let themselves into Paradise and…not Paradise?"

Luxa nodded. "That's at least half true. To enter Hades—call it that from now on—you must judge yourself based on the list prepared for you. But to enter the Golden Lands, you must not only judge yourself, but pass a test."

"What's the test?"

Luxa was silent. She was very interested in twirling her hair.

"What's the test, Luxa?"

When Luxa looked back at him, she was crying. "They must fight or be banished."

It took Gregor a few seconds to think about this. "So they have to fight…who?"

"Another creature that wishes to enter as well."

"And if they lose?"

"They are banished. Their soul becomes immortal, but is tied to a single tree, up side down for eternity."

"Not really what I'd call 'hangin out in heaven'," thought Gregor, but he didn't think now was the time for jokes.

"So what do we need to take on our trip?" he asked Luxa.

"The prophecy says the warrior and the other three."

"So me, then three more."

Luxa nodded. "You can choose."

"You, Aurora. That's two. And one more."

Luxa seemed to be thinking. "Ripred is not well enough, he is still recovering."

"Even now?"

Luxa nodded again. "The mites did more damage then we realized."

"Shoot." That had been Gregor's last choice, and Luxa had known it. Without him by their side, then what would they be able to do? They could take Mareth, but he wasn't doing anything on his leg for at least another half of a year. The only one that Gregor could think of was—

"Howard," said Luxa.

Gregor agreed. "That's what I was thinking."

Luxa looked at him. For the first time, Gregor noticed how tired she looked. How stressed and burdened. The job of ruling Regalia wasn't an easy one, he knew that, but it looked like Luxa took it as seriously as possible. There were bags under her eyes, and her lips were in a frown at all times. Her eyes already seemed half shut, and she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks.

"Take a rest, I'll wake you up."

"Gregor, I can't," she said, but then she yawned.

Gregor gave Luxa the _oh, really?_ look and raised an eyebrow.

"Fine," she said, and laid her head on his lap.

Gregor started thinking, about how he had intended to simply visit, but then got caught up in a whole new prophecy. And how Luxa had been avoiding a specific part. It wasn't like the last time, but it was still a bit unnerving.

_After the second uprising,_

_There will be a beast._

_He will be like nothing ever seen,_

_On the Underland's blood he feasts._

So there was going to be another beast, and he was going to do a lot of damage. Why weren't they making a bigger deal about it?

He was thinking, all these thoughts wrapping around his head. Thoughts of home, of here, of Luxa, of Ripred, of Hades, of The Golden Land, when he fell asleep.

"Well would you lookie here, Vikus! I can honestly say I told you so!"

Gregor awoke with a start. Luxa got up slowly after him. She yawned and stretched. When she opened her eyes, the face of a rat made her yelp.

Ripred laughed. "So queenlike," he muttered.

Vikus made a gesture for him to relax.

"So what were you two lovebirds doing in the prophecy room?" asked Ripred.

"Looking at prophecies. What else?" replied Gregor.

"And just what prophecy were you viewing?"

"I believe that's none of your business."

"And _I _believe that you better _make it _my business, or you are going to wind up on the _business _end of my tail!" sneered Ripred.

Luxa walked over to the prophecy and pointed at it. "That one. There. Go. Leave. Now."

Ripred smiled. "As you wish, madam," said the rat, and left the room. Vikus stayed and had a questioning look on the good side of his face.

"We were reading the prophecy. She looked tired, so I let her sleep. I fell asleep too."

Vikus nodded and left.

Just in time for him to be pushed out of the way by Jezebel and four guards. "Lock them up!" she screamed.

And so, they were both in the dungeon together now. Alone. With nothing to do except for huddle in a corner and tell stories and relive the adventures they had been on together and what a jerk Jezebel was. And how much they loved each other. And how great it would be if they were reunited with their long-lost cohorts.

"Including Henry," thought Gregor.

As it turned out, Henry would be the turning point in their journey, but that comes later.

Because now, Gregor was in the middle of doing something.

It was called kissing.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Gregor awoke with a start. His sudden movement awoke Luxa as well. They were still huddled in the corner, and the darkness hadn't receded. Using his echolocation, Gregor was able to see that sometime during their slumber, someone had come and given them food and blankets. "Hey," he said to no one in particular. "Thanks."

Gregor got up and grabbed the blankets. Luxa was sitting up already, leaning her shoulder against one side of the corner and her back against the other. "Too late, I'm already up," she whispered.

"Do you have any idea how long we've been sleeping?" Gregor asked.

Luxa shook her head. "What'd they bring us?"

Gregor mulled over the food. "Two slices of bread, some water, and a bucket."

Luxa cringed. She could guess what the bucket was for. "So I guess we'll be in here a long time," she said.

Gregor shook his head in agreement. "I wonder how Hamnet made it this far."

"You did, didn't you?" asked Luxa.

"Yes, but the company is much better than last time," said Gregor. Maybe a drunk pirate _did _have some good pickup lines.

Luxa smiled sheepishly. Gregor grabbed the two slices and the glasses of water. He passed in front of the door on the way back, and that's when Horatio decided to barge in and open the door, sending Gregor flying back into the wall with a bruise on his face.

"Hm. Don't seem to recall Jezebel putting a door stop here," the burly bodyguard said, and tried to push the door all the way back, smashing Gregor in the process.

"Mm..brth…hlp," Gregor managed to say with the little air he had in his lungs.

Horatio checked behind the door. "Oops. Sorry little one."

Marcus came in behind him. "Horatio, let's go. We don't have much time before Jezebel comes."

Luxa stood up and brushed her pants off. "What are you two doing?"

"We're setting you free. Everyone is ready, but Jezebel is still sleeping. We need to get you out of here before she awakens. We didn't know who you would want for your journey, so we gathered everyone."

Done from being the vanilla in an Oreo, Gregor was a bit slow. "You're helping us?" he asked.

Horatio and Marcus sighed. "Yes. Now quit asking questions and move!"

Luxa and Gregor sprinted down the halls and came out onto a balcony, where Aurora and Howard were waiting. Vikus was there as well, as was Nike and Hazard.

"Aurora and Howard, you come with us. Everyone else, stay here," commanded Luxa.

"Wait—what about my sisters? And my parents?" Oh man! His parents! Gregor's mom and dad were going to go crazy! "Crap!"

Luxa looked at him. "Word will be sent. Hazard, make sure Boots is fine."

Gregor told Vikus and Mareth what to do if Lizzie had a panic attack. "If you don't have a bag, tell her to breathe into her hands," he told them. They nodded in understanding.

Marcus came running down the corner. "Quickly! She's coming!"

Gregor climbed onto Aurora behind Luxa, and Howard was in between. Gregor could guess why. "Bye," he told them as Aurora lifted them up and up into the sky over Regalia.

Once they were safely up and away, Aurora spoke up. "You should all try to get some rest. Once we get to our first stop, you will need it. I do not plan on stopping until we are on the outskirts of the Uncharted Lands," she said.

Howard and Luxa dozed off, but Gregor remained awake, replaying the prophecy in his mind. What if Ripred was right, and this monster was nonexistent? However, he didn't see how the creatures of the Underland could dream up a monster like that. Which kind of put a hole in Ripred's theory.

But he quit worrying about these things and started worrying about other things, like something that Luxa had said when he had first seen her. He hadn't thought anything of it since, because he was too busy thinking about how she had called him a traitor, but now he had time to think about it.

When he had first arrived and seen her, she was talking to a guard. She said that the spinners had agreed to elect a new representative, and so had the gnawers. She had also said "In light of the recent events", but then she'd seen Gregor and ran off.

What were these "recent events"? Were they the war? If so, why did the spiders and rats want to elect a new one? What happened to the old ones? If nothing had happened to the current representatives, what _would_ happen to them?

All these thoughts kept running through his mind, when he fell asleep, the air brushing against his face.

Gregor woke up with a start. He'd been doing that a lot lately. What was it that had awoken him? Some sort of sound.

"Guys?" he said.

"Shh. Quiet, Overlander. We have arrived."

Gregor got up. What he saw before him was magnificent. There were two gates made out of a dazzling gold, and an arch reached high above where they ended. Vines curled around the edges of the gates, and they were rich with fruits of all kinds. Butterflies—how did they survive here?—fluttered about, taking pollen from one flower to another. It was the most beautiful thing Gregor had ever seen. "Then again, so were those big yellow things, until they decided to eat us," he thought.

"Are we here? Is this The Golden Lands?" he asked.

"Yes, Overlander, this is the Golden Lands," replied Howard from somewhere behind him.

And that's when the giant rumbling began.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

It started off as a slow, _thump. Thump. Thump. _But then it got increasingly louder, and louder, until it was more of a _BOOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOOM!_

Gregor looked around in a frenzy, trying to find the source of the noise. 'What's going on?" he shouted over the rumblings.

"I do not know, Gregor," Luxa replied.

Apparently the sound was driving Aurora crazy. She was screaming in very high-pitched voices, and they were getting to Gregor. He clasped his hands over his ears, but it didn't help. Aurora took to the air and began flying in rapid circles just over their heads. She could feel the air pounding.

_BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM! BOOOOOM!_ It got louder and louder until Gregor thought he'd burst.

Then suddenly, it stopped. The eerie silence that followed was worse than the noise. Nothing moved. You could hear a pin drop. Gregor always thought that if someone had simply sniffed, they'd all jump ten feet into the air.

Aurora came down for a landing. No one spoke. Then suddenly, there was the loudest of all, which shook the trees around them and sent the group spiraling into the air. They landed on the ground with a _thud_.

Gregor was the first to get up, followed by Aurora. He dusted off his pants and looked up.

In front of him was the most massive creature he had ever seen. It was well over twenty feet tall, and it had five claws—including what looked like thumbs—that were sharpened to a point that any pencil sharpener in the land would be jealous of. They swiped randomly at the air, and it seemed like it could cut a hole in the air itself. The fur on it was white and sparkly, and it looked like one of the plush toys Boots had gotten a few Christmases ago. It looked like a giant bear, but Gregor couldn't be sure.

The thing looked around, then continued walking until they couldn't see it any longer.

After five minutes of silence, Luxa spoke up. "What was that?"

Howard shrugged, and Aurora said "I don't know."

"Well, we might as well start going," commented Gregor.

The journey didn't take long. Pretty soon the vegetation cleared up and a bunch of paths veered off into separate directions. There was one to the far left, straight, far right, and mid left and right.

Howard peered down each, trying to see what was ahead. "Guess there's no other way than to scout. Luxa and Gregor, you take the far left and I'll take the one right next to it. Aurora, you take to the air. We all need to be close in case something happens."

The groups went their separate ways. Gregor and Luxa's area led to a stream, where they collected water and some fish, just in case they needed food later on. Howard's direction led to a wide open plain, and he commented he'd seen a lot of nibblers there. The quartet scouted each path. The middle was a dead end, the one on the right was inaccessible. A bridge had been built across a bubbly bog, but it had long since collapsed and led to the scary waters below. So the only one that was left was the middle-right path, which led to a dark cavern.

"I vote the plain," said Luxa. "I want to search for my friends. The nibblers aided me a lot."

"That debt has been settled," replied Aurora. "I vote the cavern. There will be bats."

Gregor agreed with Aurora. He wanted to see Ares, more than anything. "Howard, where would you choose?"

Howard sat down, thinking. "How about the one you two got your supplies at? If there was supplies there, don't you think it'd be smart to keep going that path? Perhaps it may even lead to human settlements. And if we need to get back, we'll be on a good way to do so."

Aurora and Luxa agreed, and Gregor didn't really mind. Ares could wait.

Yeah, right.

They had been walking for a while now. The path had not changed much, but they were beginning to have a small sliver of hope as they had heard rustling in the tall grasses on the right of the path, and voices as well.

The group began discussing who they wanted to see. They also laid out a plan for what order they'd be searching for them, based on who they felt was most important.

"How about Twitchtip? Or Tick?" suggested Gregor.

Luxa nodded and explained who Tick was to Howard. "Or…Andromeda," she said.

"Oh yeah," said Gregor. "Sorry, Howard."

But Howard only shook his head. "It is no matter. I will side with the Queen."

"I just thought of something," the Queen. "Solovet."

Gregor's heart stopped beating for a few moments. He hadn't cared at all for the woman. "If they're here, that is," he muttered.

But Luxa and Howard had heard him and were silent the rest of the way. He hadn't meant for them to hear them—or had he?—and he was afraid that he'd ruined this leg of the trip for them. The truth was, it did matter to him, and he needed to see Ares. And Andromeda, and everyone that had helped them. Which included Solovet. He didn't really think it was right, ranking them in importance. Without any of them—even the spinners, for the limited time they had been with them—Gregor would be dead, and Luxa and Howard and Aurora would be looking for _him_.

Or would they?

"Of course they would," thought Gregor. "They're your friends."

Gregor had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed Luxa come to a complete halt. Howard ran over to her, followed by Gregor. Aurora landed from above. "Luxa. What is it?" she asked.

"I do not know. Something peculiar."

Gregor was confused. Then Luxa started laughing. "What? What is it? What's so funny?" he asked.

Luxa began running on the path, so much that even Aurora had to flap extremely quick to keep up. "Luxa! Halt!" screamed Howard.

But she kept running, and finally Gregor saw them. Two figures. A man and a woman. They were standing, side by side, laughing. A man and a woman, who looked to be married. They had their inner hands clasped together and swinging freely at their sides. The man said something, and the woman laughed again. Their backs were to them, but as they heard Luxa's footsteps coming towards them, they turned around.

And greeted them with the biggest hug that Gregor had ever seen.

"Well I'll be darned," said Howard.

"Who? What?" asked Gregor, staring at Luxa, laughing along with the strangers.

"Overlander, those are Luxa's parents."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Wow. "Well that was unexpected," thought Gregor. He watched Luxa just talking to her parents, after so long. She was smiling, and laughing, and her hair kept falling into her eyes. They stood there for about five minutes, Howard and Gregor just smiling having seen Luxa so happy, and Aurora wasn't really sure where to go.

It reminded Gregor so much of the time when he and his father had finally returned. From his first trip to the Underland. That seemed like an eternity ago, when he had tried to escape from the palace and had run into Fangor and Shed. When he had taken the daring leap into nothingness, then suddenly feeling Ares appear underneath him, and the rescue. Him bonding with Ares.

And now he was gone.

But would they find him here? That was what was bugging Gregor. Ares had seemed unsatisfied with his life. Had he, indeed, attempted to get into the Golden Lands or had he instead decided not to take the risk and just went straight to Hades?

"Howard?" he asked. The doctor turned to him.

"Yes, Overlander?"

"What happens in Hades?"

Howard shook his head. "It's a tale, Gregor, but I will tell you if you must know. But I advise you to decline it."

Gregor nodded. "I can take it," he said.

"Very well then," Howard said, sighing. "It is said that they must live alone, not having anything to eat. They may even go crazy. Fire is all around them, and the air is full of sulfur, but yet they do not die. They live in a constant state of consciousness, but it is filled with pain. It is said to be worse than…worse than the plague was."

Gregor thought about it. He remembered seeing the huge purple welts on Ares' fur, and the patches of it that were missing. Ares, struggling to breathe as the plague took over his body. What could be worse than that? Gregor wondered.

Aurora brought him back to reality. "Overlander," she said.

Luxa was gesturing for Howard and Gregor to come to them. They began walking, and Gregor started wondering what he'd say. "Yo," wouldn't be too…Warrior-ish.

They stopped, and the pairs just looked at each other. Luxa stood off to the side between them, and kept looking anxiously from one group to another.

Up close, Gregor could see what they looked like. The man had the silver hair, of course, with a bit of stubble creating a mini-goatee around his mouth. He had kind eyes, and looked well built. Gregor resisted asking the man if he ran track.

The woman had the same shade of violet that Luxa did, and the same nose and face. She was just about an inch shorter than the man, and had the same kind eyes.

"Hi, I'm Gregor," he said, offering his hand to the man.

The man seemed startled for a moment, but recovered relatively swiftly. "I am Marcus," he said.

Gregor started at the mention of the bodyguard's name. Luxa giggled softly. The woman looked at her. "Luxa, what is it?"

"Oh, nothing mother," Luxa replied, her face still a little red from laughing.

"I'm Amina," the woman said.

Howard still stood there, not saying anything. Gregor figured he'd do the honors. Then he realized that they already knew who each other was, and he shut his mouth.

Amina seemed a bit uncomfortable with the current situation. "C—come, let's come inside," she said.

Gregor was curious as to what it looked like inside a house in heaven. The shack was simple, but it felt good. It was made out of all natural materials. Straw and reeds were tied together, and wood (again, Gregor wondered how these things got down here) supported it. Mud was used as a type of plaster.

They all sat down around a large stone table. It was awkward for a few moments, until Gregor asked the question that had been on his mind since he saw them. He hoped it wasn't considered rude, but he had to know. "So…who'd you have to battle to get here?"

Luxa shot him a glance. He guessed she'd considered it rude. "Sorry," he said.

Luxa's father just laughed. "It's fine, Luxa. He's just curious."

Gregor didn't really know what to say, so he didn't say anything at all. "It all began after we fought the rats," Amina said. "We suddenly appeared here, and this giant monster came up to us. He asked us if we wished to enter the Golden Lands or enter into Hades. We answered the first, and he told us we needed to battle someone."

Gregor started thinking. "I think we encountered that monster on the way in," he said.

Marcus nodded. "He smells only the dead. If the living comes this way, he leaves them alone until they are dead."

Amina continued. "We never thought it'd be him. But it was, so we had to fight. It was Ripred's older brother."

Gregor started. "Ripred has a brother?"

"_Had_ a brother. His name was Flashtail. Very experienced. A rager, just like you,' she responded. There was a twinkle in her eye when she said that last sentence, and it sent a small shiver down Gregor's spine.

"So anyways, we battled him. He told us he'd let us in and wait for his brother. So he let us win, and we were allowed. We could hear his cries as we left."

A look of sorrow passed Amina's face, and her husband gave her a hug to comfort her. "We thought we'd have to wait an eternity," Marcus said.

"But now you're here," Amina said, and proceeded to break down crying. Luxa walked over to the two and hugged them back. Pretty soon it was a hugging and crying festival.

Gregor and Howard just sat there, pretending not to watch the display.

When it was finally over, Marcus apologized. "You must be tired. Come, we have rooms," he said.

When he got to the room, Gregor was surprised to notice that despite everything, the bed looked just like his own. He turned and glanced at Marcus, who was behind him, and began to ask the question.

Marcus interrupted him. "These are the Golden Lands. You are not dead, so you don't have full control over what you see and have here, but you at least have a bed that you like," he said, and walked out.

Gregor collapsed into his bed, thinking about the day's activities and the journey ahead of them.

Luxa came sometime during the night and kissed him. "I love you," she whispered, and left. Gregor fell asleep and dreamed of home, exhausted from the day.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Gregor awoke to nothing. Light burst through his window, and at first he thought it was the sun. But then he remembered that he was in the Underland. He was in The Golden Lands. He felt warmed and refreshed. As he got up, he noticed a dress of Underland clothes sitting on a chair next to his bed. He hopped out of his bed and got dressed.

When he reached the table, Marcus and Amina were already there.

Amina glanced up. Her eyes brightened. "Ah, Gregor. Howard and Luxa went out for a quick second, they'll be right back. Why don't you eat?"

Gregor sat down and began eating what looked like to be something like mashed potatoes but weren't. There were some weird kind of eggs. The entire breakfast tasted delicious. "Mm…" he said between bites. "This is delicious."

Marcus seemed pleased. "Thank you," he said.

Gregor didn't bother telling him that in the Overland, men didn't cook. "Don't mention it," he said.

Luxa and Howard came in. Howard was breathing a bit hard, and Luxa looked angry. "Good morning," she said to Gregor, ice in her voice, and she proceeded to go to her room. Gregor looked at Howard for an explanation, but Howard was just staring after Luxa. "Er…what…what happened?" asked Gregor.

Howard turned to him. "We need to talk," he said.

Before he had the chance to respond, Gregor was being dragged out of the room by Howard by the back of his shirt. It was pressing against his windpipe, and he couldn't breathe, but Howard didn't seem to care. Finally, once they were out of hearing range of the house, Howard let him down.

Gregor fell to the ground and almost hit a rock into his chest. A few more inches to the right. "Geez, Howard," he muttered, standing up. "What's wrong?" Gregor was a bit dirty from being dropped into the grass, but he had no injuries. Howard stood there, hands clenched in fists. There was anger in his eyes.

"Overlander, you've crossed the line," he said.

Gregor's eyes moved from left to right in confusion. "You mean this line?" he said, pointing out a rickety line of small pebbles in the grass between them.

Howard's eyes widened for a second, then narrowed. "Overlander, one more and you have myself to deal with," he said, proceeding to push Gregor into the tall grass behind him. Howard walked off, back towards the house.

Gregor stood up, confused. The grass around him reached his shoulders.

What had just happened? What did he do? Was it about Luxa again? Luxa had seemed angry when she came back. "Way to pick up the signals," muttered Gregor to himself. He needed to know what Howard was so angry about, and he needed to find out soon. The problem was, if Howard was angry, he wouldn't tell him because he thought he already knew, and if he wasn't, bringing it up would just make him angry anyway.

Gregor began wading back through the tall grass when he tripped over something. "Aah!!" he screamed.

When he got up again, he saw that he had tripped over a body—no, not just a body, a leg.

A human leg.

"Hey!" he said as the leg retreated back into the grass beyond Gregor's sight. He heard the person running away, and Gregor didn't bother chasing. "Let him be," he thought.

When he got back to the house, Howard was just finishing eating. Luxa was still in her room. Amina was eying Howard closely. Marcus' eyes kept switching between Gregor and Howard. There was awkward silence.

Gregor ignored them and walked up to Luxa's room, where she lay, her back to the opening, her front to the wall. "Go away, Howard," she said.

"Luxa, it's me," answered Gregor.

She flipped so she was looking at him. Her eyes were red from crying. "Oh, it's just you. I'm sorry. I…" It was then she noticed his dirty clothes. "Oh, what did he do to you?"

Gregor just shrugged. He didn't even know. "I don't know. He told me I crossed the line. I don't know," he repeated.

Luxa sat up and shook her head. Gregor decided not to tell her about the Evil Leg of Doom. She had enough to worry about. "What did he mean?"

Luxa sighed. "He knows about us, along with most of our acquaintances. I just think he's not satisfied with the level of person I have decided to…confide in."

Gregor nodded. It had been the same ever since. But he was eager to change the subject. "So, where's Aurora?"

"She went back to the cave to see if anyone was there. We're expecting word swiftly," Luxa replied. As if on cue, Aurora swooped into the window. Her golden face was smiling, which Gregor took as a sign of good news.

Luxa went to the window. "Ah, Aurora! Good day."

Aurora nodded. "The same. Oh! Gregor. How fare you?'

"I'm fine, Aurora," Gregor said. He'd never seen her this happy. It was lighting up the room, and both Luxa and Gregor were trying—and failing—to wipe silly grins off their face. "What's the news?"

Aurora smiled even wider, if it was possible. "There's bats there alright."

Luxa jumped for joy. "Oh, Aurora, that's great!" she squealed, running to hug the gigantic bat's head. Aurora backed away.

"That's not all," she said. "There's someone who wishes to see you, Gregor. In fact, he says he's already seen you here. About a leg of a moment ago."


	9. Author's Note

I'm going to take a few moments to clear some things up.

1) I know that Marcus and Horatio are dead. I just figured introducing three new characters at once would be a hassle.

2) The Marcus married to Judith is not the Marcus that we usually know.

3) Thanks for telling me Luxa's mother's name. It's been a while since I've read the books.

4) Thanks for all the reviews guys! D

5) Sadly, it won't be updated in a while--about a month, in fact--because something rose up suddenly in our family, and I'll be away from the computer for the duration. So if you like the story and want to know when I finally update it, just subscribe. Or if you hate it, then you can say so. . 

Thanks!


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"What?" asked Gregor, feigning ignorance. "Huh?"

Aurora made a noise that sounded something like a laugh. "Don't try to act with me, Overlander," she purred. "I know all about it."

Luxa spoke up. "So who is it?"

The twinkle in Aurora's eye returned. "Oh, you'll have to wait and see, won't you?" she asked. "I'll meet you out front."

Gregor followed Luxa, who was practically running down the hall to the main table. Judith was doing something at an area Gregor assumed was a sink, and Howard was chatting with Marcus. The two looked up from their talk. "Yes?" asked Howard, steel in his voice.

Gregor stared him down. "He thinks he's so tough," he thought. "I'll show him."

Suddenly, he heard a voice that sounded suspiciously like Ripred's mocking him in his brain. "That's right, Overlander, use your vicious eyes to destroy him."

"We're leaving," Luxa said, and ran out the door to Aurora. Gregor followed, and they both hopped onto the bat's golden back.

Once they were in the air and away from Howard, Gregor was able to breathe easy again. But the small voice of Ripred made him sad. "I miss everyone else," he told Luxa. "Back in Regalia. And my parents."

Luxa nodded. "We apologize, Gregor. We had no idea you would be here this long," she said.

Gregor shook his head. "No. I'm glad. And it's not your fault. It's just…I wish everyone else was with us. Like old times."

Luxa looked at him and smiled sadly. "I have a feeling, however, we may be reunited with some of our good old friends very soon."

This perked Gregor up. The thought of seeing his old dead friends was too far in his imagination. This time, Gregor didn't bother with the rule he had used for his father. "Who do you think we'll meet again?" he asked Luxa, who just shrugged and replied, "Anyone and I'll be happy.

Gregor agreed, and after that there was nothing to say.

They flew like that for a while, the wind blowing through their hair, and Aurora occasionally emitting a screech. Gregor assumed she was communicating somehow with someone else.

After a time, they saw the cave. "Here we are," Aurora said.

Gregor was so excited, he jumped off the golden bat before they landed. He landed on his back, and Luxa ran over to him, laughing. "Ow…" Gregor said.

Luxa couldn't stop. Her cheeks were as red as wildflowers. "Stop it," Gregor said weakly, the pain in his back subsiding. But Luxa kept laughing, and that made Gregor begin to laugh for no reason.

"St-st-st…stop it, L-Luxa-a!" he said through clenched teeth, though he himself was still laughing. "Th-there's n-nothing f-f-unny!"

Gregor was helped up by Luxa, who was still trying to suppress giggles.

As he stood up again and dusted off his pants, Gregor thought he saw a figure—a human figure—leaning against the right of the cave opening. It was in the shadows, and Gregor didn't know who it was. Gregor was about to speak, but it spoke first.

It was a male. "Oh, why don't you two lovebirds stop flirting and give me a big reunion hug."

The voice Gregor recognized, and he heard Luxa give a little gasp. Aurora began 'huh-huh-huh'ing.

Out stepped Hamnet, flanked by Thalia, followed by Frill, the giant green lizard.

"Welcome back, Overlander," Frill said.


End file.
